Satoshi Nakamoto Hunted Internationally, Bounty Grows

#Findsatoshi is the latest effort to galvanize worldwide support in order to, once and for all, find the enigmatic creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. The group has taken to an international crowdfunding campaign, enlisting world class private detectives from Japan to New York, and everywhere in-between.

#Findsatoshi Hunt is On

Estonian German Neff has taken to a Russian crowdfunding site, hoping to raise nearly a quarter million dollars to finally discover the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin’s pseudonymous father. With funds collected, the aim is to hire private detectives from all over the world: Japan, New York, London, and Russia.

“It’s about time we found Satoshi Nakamoto,” Mr. Neff explains. “Before the new economy gained momentum and until Bitcoin did not cost nearly $20.000, digital money could have been called ‘geek pampering.’ The appearance of Bitcoin is widely compared to supernova explosion. And after one has happened, some uncertainty started to take place.”

Satoshi Nakamoto’s true identity has been speculated for years. The search for him has turned hilarious, sad, and, at times, profound. Mainstream media coverage has a horrible track record. Outlets such as Newsweek insisted they’d found him, turning the affair into a giant circus, causing a befuddled gentleman and his family severe disruption of their lives. Wired magazine is good for at least once a year embarrassing itself with many thousands of words articles really, really, really sure this time they’ve uncovered the truth about Satoshi Nakamoto.

Nevertheless, Mr. Neff insists, “Satoshi needs to be found. And it is not just a trite curiosity. Now the market is on a fragile balance; for the further development of cryptocurrency, we need to know who created crypto and why. Was it really an enthusiast who gave the world an independent currency or was it a group of people pursuing scientific or purely selfish purposes? Or perhaps Bitcoin is an invention of a large company or an IT giant that decided to take a new direction? Can Bitcoin be the state invention, created with the purpose to control all transactions? There are many assumptions as to who might be behind this, but neither theory has been confirmed.”

International Hunt

At press time, the campaign has raised nearly 3,002,700 ₽ ($44,000) through Russian crowdfunding site, Boomstarter (one of the largest of its kind in Eastern Europe, well known for startup presales). Using what it calls ‘blockchain technology,’ the company claims to be able to offer fundraising services internationally.

“We, the international group of crypto-enthusiasts #Findsatoshi,” the Boomstarter page announces, “are initiating an international search for the creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. The world needs to be sure that the cryptocurrency is not a global fraud. We, the fans of cryptocurrencies who sincerely believe in the ideals behind the digital money, should know who has more than 1 million coins in their wallet. And who could overthrow the market overnight, almost destroying it. At least one confirmed fact would be enough. There’s just too much risk for a new economic paradigm.”

The primary worry of the group, then, is dumpage onto the broader crypto market, should that person ever decide to sell, which would very likely cause prices to plummet. “Let’s imagine that Satoshi decides to leave all the passwords from the purse to his descendants. Will they not want to sell them?,” they ask. “We, the crypto-enthusiasts, are obliged to find out the truth in order to exist peacefully in this environment. Without the fear that tomorrow a man will come out from behind the curtains announcing that the circus is over and then will disappear again. We pay the cryptocurrency world with our faith and we have the right to know the identity of Satoshi.”

It doesn’t necessarily follow finding Satoshi Nakamoto will prevent the above scenarios. And what does happen when Satoshi is ‘caught.’ This project seems doomed almost from its inception, at least to most veterans of the space. “And if Satoshi himself does not want publicity, we must declassify it ourselves,” the project stresses. “[…] We intend to order the search for Satoshi Nakamoto from independent detective agencies in the US, Japan, and also in Europe. A number of requirements for the quest were made, including a requirement to involve linguists as well as IT professionals into the search of Satoshi Nakamoto. In addition, the detective agency will be required to conduct a public and transparent report on its activities.”